From the RDA Pilbara Chair - October 2025

It’s been another busy month for RDA Pilbara as we work to build on the momentum created by September’s Pilbara to Parliament event in Perth.

It's very clear talking to key stakeholders in the Pilbara that there is a desire for the region to speak with a collective voice when advocating for change.

The inaugural Pilbara to Parliament – which put Pilbara businesses and communities in front of State decision makers – was an excellent demonstration of us being “stronger together.”

The event was a great success, and we are already moving ahead with plans for an even bigger and better follow-up in 2026. Watch this space!

One initiative RDA Pilbara is hoping to progress over coming months is an extension to the region’s Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA).

The Pilbara DAMA has been enormously beneficial to our businesses and communities since it was launched in the first half of 2022. More than 160 businesses have been endorsed to access the DAMA, with a resultant total of 1766 workers to alleviate critical labour shortages in some of our most important and in-demand sectors – childcare being one particularly notable example.

The current numbers for the DAMA are: Current at 02.10.2025, RDA Pilbara have endorsed 164 businesses, totalling 1766 nominations (workers), with several other businesses awaiting endorsement.

The DAMA certainly isn’t a cure-all for all the Pilbara’s labour challenges. However, we believe it’s a pivotal tool that can support other programs and initiatives in addressing long-standing and emerging skills gaps.

We’re currently examining how we can partner with our counterparts in other regions of WA to make the case to State and Federal Governments that DAMAs should not only be extended but continue to expand to meet changing needs.

During our visit to Perth last month, the RDA Pilbara team and I had the privilege of attending a presentation by Dr Geoff Woolcock on the WA Development Index Project (WADI).

It's become increasingly apparent that the way we measure what matters to our regions must evolve. We can't ignore the economic aspect of development, but a more holistic approach is required to ensure truly equitable opportunities and outcomes for all our communities.

This is a topic the RDA Pilbara Committee discusses frequently, and Dr Woolcock’s presentation on the WADI really resonated.  We look forward to continuing conversations with him in mapping out RDA Pilbara’s workplans for 2026.

Closer to home, it’s been a busy couple of weeks around the Pilbara, with Business Excellence awards nights for both the Karratha and Districts Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Onslow Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Local businesses are such a lifeblood of our communities, and it’s fantastic to celebrate the people who make them tick. Congratulations to all the winners and finalists and our local business communities as a whole.

Finally, well done to the Port Hedland Chamber of Commerce and Industry on a very successful inaugural Pilbara Women’s Forum. I know a lot of work went into the event, and the big turnout showed it definitely has a place on the Pilbara calendar.

It was great to see Minister for Women Simone McGurk, Member for Durack Melissa Price and Member for the Pilbara Kevin Michel in attendance, along with a wide range of inspirational and amazing women. One of them was RDA Pilbara CEO Daiva Gillam, who shared her diverse experiences on the pathway to leadership.

When I first moved to the Pilbara in the late 1990s, it would have been difficult to imagine a two-day forum focused on recognising the development and achievements of women.

It’s great to get there in 2025, hopefully with more to come. Like Pilbara to Parliament, I don’t think the first one should be the last!